Automatic cylinder-cock.



No. 719,809. PATENTE@ PEB. s, 1903.V E. L. JONES. AUTOMATIC CYLINDER 000K.

APPLICATION FVILED FEB. 25, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

IIHIIIIIIIIIIIIHH A TTOHNE YS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD LEWIS JONES, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMATIC CYLINDER-COCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,809, dated February 3, 1903.

Application led February 25,1902. Serial No. 95.525. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern: 4

Be it known that I, EDWARD LEWIS JONES, of Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Cylinder-Cocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in automatic cylinder-cocks.

It is well known that water of condensation frequently collects in steam-cylinders and if allowed to remain and accumulate will form a resisting medium which is only slightly compressible and frequently causes the cylinder-heads to be forced o by the reciprocat ing action of the piston within the cylinder. The object of my invention is to provide an automatic cylinder-cock of such construction as will automatically drain off the water of condensation which may collect in a steamcylinder. The construction is also such that the device `may be operated by hand to drain or carry o any collection of water of condensation when the engine is not running.

My'invention consists of the construction, arrangement, and combination of devices and appliances hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improvement, showing one valve closed by steam-pressure and the other open.

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing both valvesheld open by the plunger to drain the cylinder when the engine is not running. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the valves. Fig. 4 is a detached detail view of the plunger.

The device consists of a casing provided with the vertical member A and the horizontal members A A. The vertical member is provided with a central bore l through its entire length, and the horizontal members are likewise provided with central bores 2 2, which intersect the vertical bore at right angles. The'outer portions of the horizontal bores are enlarged at 2a, forming the shoulders 4, the purpose of which will be presently described. Secured within the enlarged portion of each of the horizontal members is a cross-pin F, which acts asa stop or abutment to limit the movement of the valves A2 A2, fitted to slide in the horizontalv bores of the members A A. These valves each consist of the head portion B, the shank or spindle B', and thereduced longitudinally to form wings b', as shown in Fig. 3. The valves are placed in the horizontal members with their reduced ends adjacent and abutting, so that when one valve is seated the other is pushed off or away from its seat by the contact of the projecting bosses on the reduced end of the seated valve.

Fitted to slide in the bore 1 of the vertical member is a plunger C, the lower end of which is Vprovided with the double bevels C' C', which bevels meet at the center. The lower end of said plunger is also slotted vertically, as shown in Fig. 4 at c. The slot is of such a width as to receive and surround the projecting bosses on the inner ends of the valves. The upper portion of the plunger works through a suitably-packed gland H, secured to the upper end of the vertical member of the casing, rendering it steam and water tight, yet permitting the plunger to readily slide up and down. The upper end of the plunger is also slotted at c' and preferably enlarged, the slot being adapted'to receive the lever E, which is pivotally connected to the plunger in said slot c by a bolt E2. The slotted end of the lever E extends beyond the plunger O and 'is pivotally connected to the upper end of a link or strap E', the lower end of which is pivoted to a web I, formed between the vertical and horizontal members of the casing. The long end of the lever E has secured to it a weight D by a link or other suitable means D. The long end of the lever has also secured to it at or near its end a rope, cable, or other suitable means which extends up to a point within convenient reach of the engineer or other person.

The ends of the horizontal vmembers A' A are connected by suitable pipes with the ends of a steam-cylinder, as shown in dotted lines.

The shoulder 4, made by the enlargement of the bore of the horizontal members, forms a seat for the heads of the valves, the diameter of the heads `of said valves being less than the diameter of the enlarged portion of the horizontal bores.

The length of the valves is such that when one valve is forced to its seat its reduced end, provided with the projecting boss, is in con- ICO tact with the projecting boss of the opposite valve, and the head of said valve is forced back from its seat and against the cross-pin 3.

In the position of parts shown in Fig. l the cock is designed to work automatically. Hence the plunger being held upby means of thelever E, link or strap E', and cord or cable G, it will be seen that if steam is admitted at the right-hand end of the cylinder a portion of it will enter the passage in right-hand horizontal member and force the right-hand valve against its seat and close the passage from that end of cylinder to the bore of the vertical member. At the same time the left-hand valve, which now controls the passage from the exhaust side of the cylinder, is moved from its seat by the right-hand valve, and by virtue of the groovesin the shank of said valve the water of condensation in the exhaust end of the cylinder is allowed a free passage through the passage in the left-hand side of the horizontal member into the vertical bore and discharges into a suitable pipe connected to the casing at M, which conveys the water of condensation to any proper point of discharge.

When the piston in the cylinder on its return stroke moves back to the opposite end thereof, the left-hand valve, which was formerly in an open position, is forced to its seat by steam-pressure, and at the same time the right-hand valve is forced away from its seat and allows the passage of Water of condensation from the right-hand end of the cylinder to the discharge-tube. This operation is alternately repeated so long as the piston is Working.

To operate the device by hand to drain the cylinder when the engine is at rest, the horizontal members of the casing being in cornmunication with both ends of the cylinder, the cord G is released, when the weightD will carry the long end of lever E down, causing plunger C to descend in the vertical bore of the casing. In its downward movement the beveled end of the plunger enters between the shoulders formed bythe reduced projecting bosses on the inner ends of the Shanks and forces the valves apart and away from their seats, thus allowing the water of condensation to drain off from both ends of the cylinder. The slotted lower end of the plunger passes over and surrounds the projecting bosses. The cross pins or abutments F prevent the valves being moved too far away from their seats, and the grooves in the shank or spindle of the valves allow the ready passage of the water of condensation to the discharge end of the vertical bores.

Thus it will be seen that I provide a simple, cheap, and effective device for relieving the ends of a steam-cylinder of the water of condensation and overcome the danger of the cylinder-heads being forced off by the resistance of collections of water of condensation within the steam-cylinder. It will also be observed thatfI provide a device that can be rendered at will either wholly automatic during the working of the engine or one that can drain the cylinder of water of condensation when the engine is at rest.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. The hereindescribed improvement in cylinder-cocks,consisting of a casing provided with a vertical bore, intersecting horizontal bore adapted toV have connections with the ends of the cylinder, oppositelydisposed grooved valves sliding in the horizontal bore, said valves being provided with enlarged outer ends adapted to seat against shoulders in the horizontal bores, and with reduced projecting bosses at their inner ends, said innell ends normally abutting, shoulders at the rear of said reducedprojecting bosses, a plunger sliding in the vertical bore and provided with a double-beveled, and slotted lower end, said beveled and slotted end being adapted to engage the shoulders in rear of the reduced projecting bosses and straddle said bosses and force the valves apart, and means for reciproeating the plunger in the vertical bore.

2. In a cylinder-cock the combination of a casing, `horizontal passages therein connecting with the ends of a steam-cylinder, a Vertical bore extending through the center of said casing, grooved valves sliding in said horizontal passages, and abutting at their inner ends in the said vertical bore, a plunger reciprocating in said vertical bore and provided with a beveled lower end, a lever pivoted to the upper end of the plunger, a link pivoted to the short end of said lever and to the casing, a weight attached to the free end of the lever, and means connected to the free end of the lever for raising said lever, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a cylinder-cock, the combination of a casing provided with a horizontal bore and an intersecting vertical bore, passages connecting the horizontal bore with the ends of a steam-cylinder, oppositely-disposed grooved valves sliding in the said horizontal bores, said valves being provided with enlarged outer ends adapted to seat against shoulders in the horizontal bores, and also with reduced projecting bosses at their inner abutting ends and shoulders adjacent thereto, a plunger sliding in the vertical bore and provided with a lower beveled end adapted to engage the said shoulders and separate the abutting inner ends of the valves, a vertical slot in the lower end of the vertically-sliding plunger, adapted to surround the reduced projecting bosses, a lever pivoted to the upper end of the vertical plunger, a link at one end pivoted to the short end of the lever and at its other end to the casing, a weight attached to the free end of the pivoted lever, and suitable means attached to the free end of the lever to raise the same and thereby hold IIO IIS

the vertically-sliding plunger in a raised position out of contact with the abutting ends of valves, substantially as shown and described 4. In a cylinder-cock, the combination of a casing provided with horizontal passages connecting with the ends of a steam-cylinder, said passages having differential diameters forming shoulders therein, a vertical central bore in said casing, oppositely-arranged valves in said horizontal passages,consisting of grooved shanks,enlarged heads adapted to seatagainst the aforesaid shoulders, and reduced projecting bosses on their inner ends forming with the shank shoulders, a vertically-sliding plunger working in the vertical bore, said plunger provided at its lower end with a double bevel adapted to engage the shoulders on the valves and move the same away from their seats, a vertical slot in the lower` end'of the plunger adapted to surround the reduced projecting.

bosses, a gland secured to the casing and surrounding the vertical plunger, a lever pivoted to the upper end of the plunger, a link pivoted at one end to the short end of the lever, and at its other end to the casing, a weight attached to the free end of the lever, and a cord or other suitable means attached to the free end of the lever, whereby said lever may be raised, and move the vertical plunger out of contact with the valves, substantiallyras shown and described. t

5. In a cylindercock, the combination of a casing, horizontal passages therein, connecting with the end of a steam-cylinder, a vertical bore extending centrally through the casing, oppositely-arranged valves sliding in inner ends in the vertical bore, a plunger `the horizontal passages and abutting at their adapted to reciprocate in the vertical bore neously.

EDWARD LEWIS JONES. Witnesses:

EUGENE E. FRAZER, FRANKLIN M. ROSE. 

